Boeing’s largest union is set to demand a 40% pay raise by 2028, a labor dispute 10 years in the making and coming on the heels of its near-catastrophe on an airborne 737 Max jet, Bloomberg reports.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is dissatisfied with its 2014 contract, which froze pensions, locked in nominal raises of just 1% a year, and suppressed activist members.

Emboldened by the success of Hollywood and Detroit auto unions, a lack of qualified airline industry workers, and the expiration of its current contract in September, the union says it is prepared to strike if Boeing does not give it the raise by 2027 or 2028.

“Our goal is to negotiate a contract that we as a union leadership and our members can accept,” said Jon Holden, president of IAM District 751, which represents 32,000 Boeing mechanics in the Seattle area. “We don’t take going on strike lightly, but we’re willing to do it.”

If the union were to strike, it would shut down Boeing plants in Washington and Oregon, limiting the output of its lucrative 737 jets.

The demands add to the headaches of Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun, facing questions in Washington, DC, over the blowout of a door plug on an airborne Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet and holes improperly drilled by Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems.

The Federal Aviation Administration has put a lid on production of the 737 until Boeing can solve its safety problems.

“We remain focused on working with our teams to strengthen quality across our operations,” Boeing said in a statement. “We believe there’s a path to a new contract that addresses the needs and concerns of our people while maintaining our ability to compete in the global market.”

Boeing’s talks with the union are scheduled to start on March 8.

Some analysts believe the pendulum has swung in unions’ favor and that the Boeing labor group’s demands have some merit.

“There’s no loyalty because Boeing wasn’t particularly loyal,” said analyst Richard Aboulafia. “Now the labor markets have shifted radically, and they may stay that way for a long time.”

RBC Capital Markets analyst Ken Herbert agrees: “If there’s really a time to strike a deal that works for them, it’s now. They’re going to be very, very aggressive.”

For his part, Holden says, “The anger that was experienced by our membership throughout the process in 2013 and 2014 is certainly palpable today. I hear it any time I’m in the factory, and from all across the spectrum.”

Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu estimates a labor deal would be costly for Boeing, with every 10% in machinist wages reducing 2026 free cash flow by $260 million before price and productivity offsets.

The quality and safety of Boeing jets is another union concern. Holden wants the manufacturer to reinstate thousands of quality inspections, which were suspended 10 years ago.

The union also wants Boeing to commit to manufacturing in Seattle for decades to come.

“We need jobs for 50 years, not four years,” Holden said.